From April to November, the city of Richardson is under its summer water conservation plan that allows residents to water twice per week, on designated watering days. It adds a few restrictions, like no watering from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., to prevent losing water from evaporation.
The objective of the plan is to compensate for the season’s high demand, as maintaining lawns and gardens requires more resources.
But last Friday, August 5, and again on August 8, the city of Richardson asked citizens to conserve water. The release explained the drought conditions and summer’s expected rising demand, had the city’s water provider, the North Texas Municipal Water District, asking for increased conservation efforts.
“Water is one of our most precious resources and we have a need to conserve that precious resource throughout the year, but we want to make sure we always have enough water for basic needs such as public safety and public health and their lies the need to conserve water throughout the year but particularly over summer,” said Wayne Larson, Director of Communications for the North Texas Municipal Water District (NTMWD).
The city release specifically addresses the need to limit outdoor irrigation, which is the highest use of water during the dry summer months and recommends reducing landscape watering to two minutes per zone. It also advises there are other ways to help conserve water at home:
- Do not let the water run while shaving or brushing your teeth.
- A leaky toilet can waste 200 gallons per day, so it’s a good idea to check for leaks in your bathroom.
- Add food waste to your compost pile instead of using the garbage disposal.
- Operate the dishwasher only when completely full.
- Use the appropriate water level or load size selection on the washing machine.
If you have a swimming pool, consider a new water-saving pool filter. - Lower pool water level to reduce the amount of water splashed out.
- Use a pool cover to reduce evaporation when the pool is not being used.
- Detect and repair all leaks in hoses and irrigation systems.